


All you wanted was somebody who cares

by Elenduen



Category: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alcoholism, Any trolls who comment will either be ignored or made fun of, Author is sick of Tony always being made the bad guy, Avengers bashing, Avengers will see the ere of their ways, Bruce will save Tony, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Not A Fix-It, Not Rhodey Friendly, Not Steve Rogers Friendly, Post Thanos, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Protective Bruce Wayne, Suicidal Thoughts, Tony Angst, Tony is being poorly treated by the team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-06-11 03:00:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15305976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elenduen/pseuds/Elenduen
Summary: Is anyone else sick of the way Tony is never apologized to, is always made the bad guy, how even his supposed best friend Rhodey doesn't stand by him? Well after seeing infinity war and seeing Rhodey welcome Rogers back with open arms I had this fic rattling about in my mind, and its time Tony got someone who is loyal to him and loves him.It's also time that all those who have dared call themselves Tony Stark's friend learn just what they have done to him.





	1. Chapter 1

“You don’t deserve that suit.”

“You already did that when you signed the accords.”

“Iron man yes, Tony Stark not recommended.”

"You will amount to nothing, you pitiful excuse for a Son!"

“Take care of this, I’m going to sleep on the couch.”

“Sometimes my team mates don’t tell me things.”

"Why can't you be more like Steve Rogers?"

“Ultron can’t tell the difference between saving the world and destroying it, where do you think he gets that from?”

“Oh God Tony you lost control of another AI?”

“Big man in a suit of armour. You might not be a threat but you better stop pretending to be a hero.”

“I blame you.”

 

Tears ran silently down Tony’s face as he sat in his silent lab. The memories of these things that had been said to him through out his life and had engraved themselves in his mind.

Upstairs, in the Avengers Compound the team were enjoying a movie night. The A-Team movie. 

There was pizza, popcorn, ice cream, beer, alcopops, laughter and comradery. Everyone was there, Steve, Bucky, Bruce, Sam, Wanda, Vision, Natasha, Clint, Scott, Thor, Rhodey. Everyone. 

So why wasn’t he up there?

Because try as he might Tony was not on the team. 

If he were to be honest with himself he had never been on the team, he’d only ever been tolerated and humoured, not wanted or desired. 

Tony hated honesty, hated looking at himself, at his past with honesty. Because all it brought was misery. He’d liked to think he had friendships, relationships with others, but when he looked at them closely, with his all too analytical mind he knew the horrible truth. 

The Avengers had never been his friends, Natasha had hated from the start, her report on him had condemned him as an egotistical self-destructive narcissist. She had stabbed him in the neck and then in the back. Clint had always treated him with contempt, his envy for Tony’s wealth and dislike of the privileged had always tainted his opinion towards Tony, Ultron and the Accords had just solidified his belief that Tony was all things bad. 

Wanda hated him because of the weapons that had been used on Sokovia that had killed her parents had been his. Then Pietro dying at the hands of Ultron had just made completely sure that she would despise him for the rest of her life. 

Thor, well, Thor didn’t seem to have much respect for anyone but himself, he had always treated Tony as if he were failing somehow, was a lesser version of Loki and had nearly strangled him to death when Ultron had come to life.

Scott knew nothing of Tony but what he’d seen in the media and what Hank, alcoholic wife beating child neglecting bastard Pym had told him even though he and Pym had never met and the man had only known Howard Stark.

Sam had already been head and shoulder up Steve Roger’s backside when he met Tony and judged him accordingly. 

Vision had always been stand offish, preferring Wanda to Tony. 

Steve, well, he’d always made his feelings in regards to Tony crystal clear. From the moment they met Steve had considered him a lesser version of Howard, despised him for the crime of not being Howard, used his wealth and vulnerability against him for his own ends, then left him for dead in a frozen shit hole. 

Barnes? Well, he was still figuring out his own shit so he had no way judging anyone else. 

Bruce Banner, Tony had thought they had a bond, Science Bros, but the one time Tony had opened his heart Bruce had turned his back, fuck, he’d fallen asleep, then he’d dumped him to take the full brunt of Ultron and run for the hills.

Rhodey. 

They had been friends. At least Tony thought they had, back in college, Rhodey hadn’t been like the others, hadn’t been interested in his money or his Father but in him. Hadn’t he? Tony wasn’t entirely sure now, hadn’t been in a very long time. When had things changed between him and Rhodey? When had Rhodey started caring more about what Tony could do for him and what he could get from him than their friendship? For as long as Tony could recall now the only times Rhodey called or came to see him it was because he wanted something, not because he wanted to be with Tony. 

Pepper. 

God he’d tried so hard, to be the Man she wanted, he really had tried, but he just couldn’t do it. He couldn’t be that stable, perfect, respectable man that she could marry and have children with. He couldn’t give up Iron Man, couldn’t stop work binges, couldn’t eat properly, couldn’t give up alcohol, couldn’t stop being Tony Fucking Stark!. 

Tony had hoped after Thanos, after all the loss and the battles and all it had taken to end the mad Titan and undo the hell he had created, that things would be different, that bridges could be built. But no, nothing had changed, he was still the whipping boy, still the one on the outside, the one that was unwanted and hated. 

The snide remarks continued as Team Cap as they were termed came back to a shower of rose petals and praise. Even Rhodey who’d been on Tony’s side during the accords had switched sides and favoured Steve now. When Tony tried to broach the subject Rhodey looked at his legs pointedly and said “Enough has been lost,”

Tony would never forgive himself for Rhodey’s injury, never would those nightmares stop. But to have Rhodey throw it in his face like that…., it had been as bad as Stane ripping his heart out. 

Pepper was stand offish, they were about work now and nothing more. 

He had the Spider kid but Peter had his own life to live, he didn’t need Tony’s shit weighing him down. 

Once upon a time Tony could have spoken with Jarvis, but not now, Jarvis had been lost to Ultron, to Vision, Friday was good but she was too young, she didn’t have the years of history that Jarvis had with Tony, didn’t know him like he had, didn’t love him, because she wasn’t capable. 

 

*****

 

Slowly Tony rose from his stool and made his way from the lab, up in the lift to the common areas. He stood in the shadows and watched from afar as the team interacted, sharing Pizza, drinking, telling jokes, repeating one liners from the film, enjoying themselves without him being there. 

Tears were dry on his face now as he made his way out of the compound to his car. 

He didn’t have a destination in mind, just a place to find a drink, a lot of drinks, somewhere he could escape. 

Somewhere he wouldn’t be found until…, until…, well he couldn’t think about that, couldn’t let the thought of the pills in his pocket weigh in his mind, not while he was driving at least, that could wait until he reached…wherever the hell it was he finished up. 

 

*****

Tony honestly didn’t know for how long he had driven before he’d got out the car and gone into the god forsaken dive that past itself off as a drinking establishment. Greasy tables, scuffed, blood, urine, and vomit stained and scented floor, half comatose people slumped over the counters and tables with their preferred poison clutched in their hands. Tinny eighties and early nineties music playing over cracked speakers, and a barkeeper who was at least six stone over weight and hadn’t washed in about three weeks!

Tony ordered a bottle of jack and told the slob to keep them coming, handing over a hundred dollar note which the moron pocketed and shoved the bottle at him without question. 

Then Tony started drinking, straight from the bottle, no need for a glass, why would he have a need for one of them? He chugged back half the bottle in no time, was feeling pleasantly buzzed by the time he’d done, the world was swaying just a little and everything seemed warm now, warm and blurred. 

A dark figure came a sat down on the bar stool next to him. 

“Water, a bottle of it, still not sparkling,” he ordered and handed over enough money so that the slob behind the bar didn’t argue 

“Water!” Tony slurred taking another gulp of whiskey, “That’s not what you drink in this shit hole!”

“Indeed,” the man said turning towards Tony, “But I’m not going to be the one drinking it, you are!”

“Wha…?” Tony frowned and stared at the man, trying to focus on him, he shook his head, tilting it to the side “Bruce?” he whispered, and then he was falling! He’d over balanced and was falling from the bar stool! Only Bruce Wayne’s quick reflexes kept him from hitting the floor face first and then Tony was being lifted up like he was bride!

“Oh Tony, what have they done to you?” Bruce sighed snagging the water from bar 

“Where goin’?” Tony asked laying limp in Bruce’s arms as he was carried from the bar, out into the street where Alfred was waiting besides Bruce’s Mercedes, 

“Shall I drive Master Tony’s car?” the elderly butler asked

“Please do,” Bruce replied fishing the keys from Tony’s pocket and tossing them to Alfred, “We’ll be taking mine,”

“Very good Master Wayne,” Alfred said catching the keys and heading to the Porche 

“Hey! Why…? Tha’s m’car!” Tony babbled pointing at Alfred “Nice car…like…car,!”

“Shut up and drink your water Tony,” Bruce said strapping him into the passenger seat of the Mercedes and handing him the water 

“Don’ wanna, ‘lergic t’wetter, wet, wan, Sky!, like Sky, tashest nice!” Tony drunkenly slurred out, rolling his eyes Bruce opened the water bottle and shoved it against Tony’s mouth getting him to drink whether he liked it or not!

Somehow Tony ended up drinking the bottle, and by then they were half way to Wayne manor, having left the bar in Gotham without him noticing, but when he did notice his stomach lurched and Bruce had to pull over for him to vomit at the roadside. 

As he brought up the whiskey Tony began to cry once more, to really cry, to let out the pain he’d been bottling up for ten years, and perhaps if he were honest, his entire life. 

“Its alright Tony,” Bruce said wrapping his coat about the other Billionaire’s shoulder’s and helping him to his feet where he pulled him into his arms, “Its alright, you’re not alone now, I’m going to take care of you.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN part of this has been reworded after a complaint was made.

Bruce had been on his nightly patrol of the city when a familiar car had rolled down the road beneath the roof he’d been crouched upon. 

It had been years since Tony Stark had been to Gotham, he’d not visited the city since Bruce’s dramatic return from exile in the far East. Over fifteen years ago, getting on for twenty in fact. 

Tony had come to Gotham to see his old flame whom he’d not seen in seven years since Bruce had disappeared from the world. Their relationship had been up and down, on and off, but they had parted amicably before Bruce’s disappearance and Tony had been desperate to see Bruce himself. 

He had been there when the League had attacked, had seen first hand what Bruce had become, seen the birth of The Bat, had helped Bruce defeat Ra’s al Gul, and for time they had got back together, but it hadn’t lasted, within six months the relationship had fizzled out and Tony had returned to Malibu, the two of them not seeing each other again until several years later when Tony returned from Afghanistan, haunted, traumatized, and determined to right wrongs he felt he had made. 

Bruce had been at the Firefighters benefit ball when Tony had unexpectedly arrived, the two of them dancing and getting a drink together only to be interrupted by some parasitic reporter whose name Bruce could not recall, then Tony had vanished and Bruce’s hadn’t heard from him until the following night when he received a heart broken phone call. 

“It was Obie, Bruce, Obie arranged for those bastards to kill me, but instead they kidnapped me, he’s been selling weapons to terrorists behind my back, has been manipulating and using me for years!”

Bruce had been on his way back to Gotham when he’d got the call, he’d spun the car round and driven straight to Tony’s Malibu Mansion where he found Tony with Pepper Potts, Colonel Rhodes, and some government agents in the aftermath of horrific final battle between himself and Stane.

Stane had built himself, or rather had others build him a suit like Tony’s, but couldn’t power it, so he went and stole the arc reactor from Tony’s chest, leaving him for dead, but Tony had a spare, the first reactor he’d made which had saved his life and had just enough juice in it for him to fight and defeat Stane. 

 

Bruce had watched with Pepper as Tony had stood on the podium the following morning before the press and announced himself as Iron Man!, he’d laughed and shaken his head, while he was content to remain in the shadows as The Bat, Tony would never do the same, he liked the spot light, he liked to shine. He was also making a point of accountability and to have a secret identity would be in direct contrast to that, so, against Shield’s advice he had come out as Iron Man and the world had gone wild for him. 

He and Bruce had spent a few days together after that, in bed. But they had both known it couldn’t last. Tony was still recovering from Afghanistan and Stane’s betrayal, still figuring out where he went from here, what he would do with his company now and what he fully intended for Iron Man. He was in no place to be getting into a relationship with anyone and Bruce had departed with an unspoken promise of being there for Tony when he needed him. 

Several times over the past ten years Bruce had expected Tony to call him, to ask for help, had considered going to Tony in fact, especially after the Mandarin had blown up his mansion in Malibu, then after all that happen with Ultron and the Civil War as the press were calling it. But he had stayed away, suspecting that Tony didn’t want to have a knight in shining armour, or in his case black Kevlar rushing to his rescue. 

So he’d kept his distance, until now, when Tony had come to his city, now he couldn’t stay away. 

He had followed Tony and seen him going into one of Gotham’s worst bars and order a bottle of whiskey from the unwashed, unkempt bar tender and sit down on the rickety stool drinking straight from the bottle. 

This, and the look on Tony’s face, the look of utter defeat and resigned acceptance of an unfair fate had alarm bells ringing for Bruce, he’d called Alfred and had him drive into the city with a change of clothes for Bruce to wear so he could enter the bar without attracted attention to himself. 

Tony had been well on his way to drunk when he’d carried him from the bar, strapped him into his car and forced him to drink a bottle of water. The water might have been a mistake since he’d then had to pull over at the roadside from Tony to vomit his stomach inside out, the tears had come then, heavy and filled with self-loathing. Bruce had comforted Tony, held him and rubbed his back until he’d calmed down enough to get back in the car and continued to drive to the mansion. There was much more to say, so much more, but Tony was too drunk and too sleepy to fully comprehend anything being said right now so Bruce opted to wait until he’d slept it off and then he could speak to him. 

 

It was on stripping Tony and putting him to bed that Bruce had found the pills in Tony’s pocket, two pots of prescription painkillers. There was only one reason Tony would be carrying two pots of these when he’d been going out drinking, and that reason made Bruce’s blood run cold. 

Suicide. Tony had been planning suicide. 

If Bruce wasn’t furious at anyone and everyone who had hurt Tony before he sure as hell was now. 

He took the pot to the bathroom and emptied them both down the toilet, washing the pills away so they could do no harm and threw the empty pots in the bin. Taking off his jacket, tie, loosening his collar and taking off his shoes and belt Bruce climbed onto the bed beside Tony and lay down, wrapping his arms about the sleeping Billionaire and pressed a kiss to the back of his neck as he closed his eyes and let sleep come. 

 

*****

 

Tony’s head was aching when he awoke, he didn’t recognise the room he was in, not at first anyway. It was only when he sat up and saw Bruce in the arm chair besides the bed doing something on a tablet that he realized where he was. 

Gotham.

He’d driven to Gotham to…to.., Tony closed his eyes and dipped his aching head. He’d been planning to end it all, to kill himself, he’d found a nice depressing shit hole to get wasted in, started drinking, and instead of doing what he’d intended he’d run into Bruce Wayne. 

God! Could he ever stop fucking everything up, could he ever be anything by a colossal disappointment?

“Hey, you’re awake,” Bruce said softly, setting down the tablet and moving to sit on the bed besides Tony, “How are you feeling?”

Tony opened his mouth but Bruce held up a hand, “Do not tell me your are fine, we both know it would be a lie, and while we have done a lot of things to each other lying is not one of them and I don’t want to start now.”

Tony closed his mouth and looked down at the bed. Bruce knew. Of course Bruce knew, he was fucking Batman for fuck sake! He was a hero where Tony was just a fuck up. 

“Tony?” Bruce whispered and reached out to cup Tony’s cheek, lifting his head so they were looking at each other

“I’m sorry.” Tony whispered, and then tears were pooling in his eyes and spilling down his cheeks prompting Bruce to pull him into an embrace, “I can’t do it anymore, I just can’t!” Tony sobbed out burying his face into Bruce’s chest, “They all hate me, all of them, even Rhodey! And I have tried, I swear I’ve tried to be better, I’ve tried to make things right, I’ve tried to be a good person but I keep on fucking it all up and I just can’t do it anymore!”.

 

Bruce growled low and dangerous at Tony’s words, he could guess who “They” were, the fucking Avengers, those bunch of free loading, self-righteous, backstabbing bunch of traitors, they finally pushed Tony over the edge, finally broken him with all their bullshit. They were what had driven Tony to suicide, all of them, Rhodes included, thought the Colonel had long been on Bruce’s shit list since he’d gone and stolen a suit from Tony, maybe there was some poetic justice there that he’d been crippled wearing the suit he’d stolen from a person he had dared to call friend. 

“I’m sorry,” Tony moaned, “I’m sorry I’m such fuck up!”

“You are not a fuck up!” Bruce snarled, he pulled Tony from his chest and held him by the shoulders, “You listen to me Anthony Edward Stark, you are many things, A Genius, self-sacrificing, difficult and contradictory, insanely generous, incredibly loyal, irritatingly stubborn and sarcastic, obsessive compulsive, and at times reckless, but you are not now nor have you ever been a fuck up.”

Tony sniffed and wiped his nose on the back of his hand, “Then why does everyone hate me?” he whispered, “What is so wrong with me that I can’t have people like me?”, he looked at Bruce with such honest confusion and desperation for an answer that Bruce’s heart was shredded, Tony was blaming himself, believed there was something wrong within himself that was causing all this, when it wasn’t him, the problem had never been him, but those bastards around him. 

“Honey it isn’t you,” Bruce said, “There is nothing wrong with you, it’s they who are wrong, they’re the fuck ups, they do not deserve your tears and certainly not your self-hatred, they deserve nothing, not even the shit from the bottom of your shoes!”

Tony sniffed and gulped down another sob, “But all of them can’t be wrong can they?” he asked “Not so many people?”

Bruce shrugged, “They’re not exactly the most stable or qualified to judge anyone or anything.” He said, “Look at them, Two of them are spies and assassins, they have spent their adult life lying to, manipulating, and murdering people in cold blood, have done things no decent human being could ever consider doing, I’d say that their moral and ethical codes leave a hell of a lot to be desired. Then there’s a war loving alien who does all his thinking with his hammer, and what the fuck is he trying to compensate for there?”

Tony managed a small laugh at that!

“What would an Asgardian known of humanity, really know of us? Fuck all, Then there’s Banner, a man who turned himself into a monster and runs at the first sight of trouble because he’d too much of a coward to face the consequences of his actions. Rogers? He let German scientists experiment on him so he could become an action figure instead of making the most of what nature had provided him and finding another way to help people. He could have become a Doctor, helped treat and heal injured soldiers, Or been a volunteer who carried stretchers off the battle fields, helped nurse the wounded back to health, volunteered to care for the orphans of which there were many. But because he’s got some hero complex he had to play God and defy nature to become Captain Fucking America and became so wrapped up in the persona that he actually bought into his own propaganda. Barnes? He’s a traumatized POW who’s been brain addled for decades, I doubt he is capable of judging anything at present if ever again. Wilson, he’s ex-military suffering from survivors guilt and has one hell of a chip on his shoulder and Captain America shaped blinders over his eyes. Lang? what is he? A thief and a liar and a deadbeat Dad who’s abandoned his daughter more than once in the pursuit of his own ambitions, and Maximoff? That twisted bitch volunteered for the greatest terrorist organisation in the history of the world, nothing more need be said on that. The android? I think he is so new to this world that non of us can fairly judge him anymore than he can fairly judge us”

Tony sighed, his tears had dried and he was holding Bruce’s hands now in his lap, “And Rhodey?” he whispered

“Does not deserve to call you friend,” Bruce stated coldly, “He has built a career off you Tony, he owes everything he is to you.”

“That’s not fair, he’s…,”

“He’s been fortunate Tony.” Bruce said, “He's been a very fortunate man who managed to reach the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before the age of forty. Rhodes has been fast-tracked and singled out time and again, and why do you think that is? Because he’s a good pilot? The Air Force is full of good pilots because he’s intelligent? The Air Force doesn’t accept idiots, so what did James Rhodes have that no one else did, what made him the best person for weapons development? The fact he was a personal friend of Tony Stark, a man who could benefit the military beyond measure. Now I am not saying he hasn't thoroughly deserved his promotions and earned them, but I do think that his advancements were very much assisted by his relationship with you”

It was cold, a very cold and heartless way of looking at things, at Rhodey’s career, but it also made a lot of sense. How much shit had Rhodey given Tony when he'd shut down the weapons manufacturing and refused to take any more military contacts after returning from Afghanistan? Even after he'd learned about Stanes betrayal and the illegal sale of the Stark Industry weapons to the terrorist cells and other highest bidders Rhodey had been on at Tony to rethink his belief that he should steer clear of weapons manufacturing, and take up his military contracts again. If he were to think back to the times before then Rhodey had always been so keen to introduce Tony to his superiors hadn’t he?, encouraged Tony to come to Military shindigs, paraded him around with a beaming smile, showing off that he was friends with the best tech designer in the world. 

“Was he ever my friend?” Tony whispered feeling oddly numb and very cold inside, he wanted to believe that Bruce was wrong about this, that Rhodey and he had at least been friends, real friends for a while. 

“Maybe, I hope so,” Bruce said, “He was genuinely concerned when you were abducted in Afghanistan, so I think he does care for you…,” but probably cared more for what he’d lose if he lost you. 

“I don’t have anyone,” Tony murmured, “I never did, I was always alone and I never even knew it.”

“That’s not true,” Bruce said tilting Tony’s chin up and meeting his eyes, “You have me Tony, you have always had me, I am not going anywhere, and no matter how long it takes, what it takes, I am going to make sure you know just how precious you are and how much you are loved.


	3. Chapter 3

Bruce stayed by Tony’s side for the first forty-eight hours after bringing him back to his home drunk out of his skull and suicidal. 

After his initial break down Tony remained quiet and introverted. He spoke when prompted but only in yes or no answers, he wouldn’t meet Bruce or Alfred’s eyes and sat hunched in on himself, his arms wrapped about his waist in a self-hug, his shoulders slumped and rounded forward as he tried to make himself as small as possible. 

Bruce’s anger for the Avengers, for Rhodes, even for Pepper Potts grew with each passing hour that he witnessed Tony’s misery. 

This was not the vivacious, energetic and unapologetically intelligent Man that Bruce knew and loved, this was an emotionally exhausted and mentally defeated man on the brink of ending it all. 

Tony had become so worn down, so depressed and despairing of ever feeling anything other than utter misery that he simply couldn’t see an end to it other than taking his own life. 

That this could happen to Tony, to the man who had fought tooth an nail to survive three months captivity by terrorists, open chest surgery without an anaesthetic, going through a wormhole carrying a nuke, being poisoned by Palladium, being attacked by various villains with grudges or twisted vendettas, just give up on living so completely was both shocking and infuriating to Bruce. 

He had seen Tony in various stages of his life, seen him through his pot smoking, beer and sweet cocktail drinking college years, known him through out his drug fuelled wild partying and promiscuous nineteen nineties, been proud of him when he’d kicked the drugs at the turn of the century, and prouder still when after Afghanistan he got his drinking under control and stopped his playboy activities. 

He’d in awed and impressed by Tony becoming Iron Man, had seen him grow as a person, finally coming out of his shallow and callous playboy shell that he’d crafted over the years and revealing that he was a passionate and sensitive man who truly tried to the best he could. Of course he failed, everyone fails, its part of human nature to fail. But Tony always expected perfection from himself and always chastised himself with the fervour of a self-flagellating sinner seeking redemption. If anyone spent any real length of time with Tony they would quickly come to see that he was obsessive/compulsive, had poor self-esteem and little love for himself that he hid under a veneer of sarcasm and vanity. 

The Avengers had seen this, they had learned this, hell they’d lived with Tony for months before Ultron and known him before then, Romanoff especially. They would have all seen the cracks in the armour, in the well- constructed public façade that Tony wore and they had all chosen to manipulate and exploit it for their own ends.

 

Of course Tony wouldn’t have just told them to go to hell, or refused to bow to their every wish, he had an innate need to try and make people happy, to prove himself worthy of being their friend/lover so that they would stick around and not abandon him.   
He didn’t like solitude, being alone was something Tony hated, it was why he’d created his AI to begin with, so he would always have someone to talk to and interact with even if they were artificial. This was of course down Howard Fucking Stark never being around for Son and only criticizing him or berating him when he was. Maria was no better, cowed by her husband fiery temper she never argued with him or his treatment of Tony, and she had little to do with her Son’s upbringing, leaving him to a nanny’s or Edwin Jarvis’s care simply because he overwhelmed her. 

Tony’s rapid development and extraordinary intellect was more than Maria could handle, Tony learned to fast, got bored too easily, couldn’t be distracted with the normal toys and entertainments that average toddlers were engaged with. He would too quickly loose interest and start looking for something else to do, to occupy his rapidly growing mind and with Howard never paying attention when cameras weren’t involved Maria was practically a single parent and totally unable to provide him with the kind of stimulation and activities that Tony’s remarkable young mind needed. 

His far above average intelligence had of course led him to being put in classes well above his age group singling him out for bullies to take advantage of and little opportunity for him to make friends with anyone. 

Rhodey was Tony’s first friend, his only friend bar Pepper and Happy. 

This social isolation led Tony to craving friends and family like an addict craves drugs, he would do anything and everything to have them and allow them to abuse and bully him without complaint. 

For years Tony had let the Avengers treat him as their cash cow, their whipping boy, their scapegoat. He had let them grind him down until he simply had nothing left to give and had given up on things ever getting better for him. 

Well, Bruce was going to change that. He was going to make that Tony knew that he did have people who cared for and love him, and wouldn’t stand for this kind of treatment. 

But, before he did that he was going give the merry band of assholes and fuckwits a few home truths. 

 

*****

 

Avengers Compound

 

The fact that Tony’s been missing for two days goes pretty much unnoticed by anyone, save from Rhodey who did in fact notice that Tony hadn’t surfaced from his lab in while. 

After a trip down there to see if the genius had lost himself in another inspirational binge of genius he discovered that Tony was in fact not on the premises and Friday, when asked, did not have any idea where her creator was. 

 

“He’s probably gone out on the piss!” Clint sneered when Rhodey brought Tony’s disappearance to light 

“Hopefully he’s choked to death on his own vomit somewhere!” Wanda hissed looking maliciously delighted at the thought

“Don’t worry about it Colonel,” Steve said giving Rhodey one of his tooth commercial smiles, “He’ll turn up, he always does,”

“Like a bad penny!” Natasha murmured getting a snort of amusement from Clint

Rhodey frowned he didn’t like the way the Avengers belittled Tony or insulted him. Normally they would try and keep their comments to a minimum when he was around but today they obviously didn’t feel like doing so and felt fully justified in airing their opinions of Tony in public. 

“He’s been gone two days, not even Friday knows where he is!” he implored, “He left his phone here, he never goes anywhere without his phone, its practically surgically attached to him!”

Sam let out a loud and dramatic exhale from he was reading something on his Tablet, a Starkpad at that which Tony had graciously gifted to everyone without a second hesitation, and not received a single thank you for his trouble. 

“He’s just fucking around somewhere, probably gone to a brothel to get some since he’s getting too old for the party circuit!” the Falcon pilot said shrugging his shoulders 

Rhodey scowled at the other man “Tony never has nor will he ever used prostitutes.” 

Clint snorted, “Sure about that, Rhodes?” he asked “I mean he fucks everything that moves, hell he’d probably fuck himself if he could, he’s so in love with himself he’d love every twisted moment of it!”

Steve wrinkled his nose at the crass words, Natasha rolled her eyes and returned to flicking through a magazine while the others looked amused or laughed, except for Vision who looked vaguely disapproving, an uncomfortable looking Banner, and a rather confused Bucky. 

Rhodey however, was practically frothing at the mouth, “You shut your disgusting mouth up Barton or I’ll shut for you!” 

This took the laughter out of the room and everyone stared at Rhodes in shock at the sudden outburst. 

As always Steve tried to take command of the situation, he was after all the leader of the team and it was his job to smooth over disputes. 

“Calm down, Colonel, Clint was just,”

“Being an obnoxious, brain defective dick as always!” Rhodey spat at Steve, Clint growled 

“What did you say?”

Rhodey turned a sneer on him, “That you’re an obnoxious, brain defective dick, want me to write it out for you, there are some really big words there Barton, your double digit IQ might struggle to understand them!”

Clint took a menacing step forward but Sam stepped in and put an arm across his chest, “Don’t do it man,” he murmured not wanting this to turn into a full scale brawl

“What’s eating you, Colonel?” Natasha asked rising up from her seat to stand beside Steve, a show of solidarity that was laughable at best since Natasha was only ever loyal to one person, Herself. 

“You lot, treating Tony like the shit on your shoes!” Rhodey snarled, “I know I haven’t been great to him lately, I’ve been letting him down, but at least I have the decency to feel guilty over that, you bastards though, you don’t give a flying fuck about anyone but yourself, least of all Tony Stark who has given you ungrateful sacks of shit everything you could possibly want!”

“I could not have put it better myself!”

 

*****

 

The unexpected voice caught all the avengers by surprise, and they turned to see Bruce Wayne standing just outside of the common area having been welcomed into the compound by Friday. 

They all recognized him of course, no one failed to recognize the crown Prince of Gotham City. 

“I had thought I would have to knock some sense into you, Colonel, deliver some painful home truths, but maybe your own conscience is doing the job for me,” Bruce said as he sauntered confidently into the common area 

Steve straightened up and lifted his chin arrogantly, “Just who the hell do you think you are coming into my home uninvited?”

Bruce rose an imperious eyebrow at Steve “Your home?” he repeated, “Rogers this is not “Your home, or your anything” he said in a slow voice, pronouncing every word very carefully as if Steve were a slow and stupid child incapable of understanding him, “This is Tony Stark’s property and I have a long standing arrangement with him that either of us may enter each-others properties at any time we wish,” Steve opened his mouth and then closed it again, clearly deciding not to say whatever crap he’d been about to. 

“Bruce, do you know where Tony is?” Rhodey asked

“Yes,” Bruce replied, “He is at my home in Gotham, where he will be remaining for the foreseeable future, I am merely here to pick up some of his personal effects and to deliver some truths all of you backstabbing, abusive bastards!”.

 

Clint was the first to react to this, and like with everything he went in with his fists, regretting it immediately when Bruce deftly blocked the punch, delivered an exceptionally powerful one to his abdomen, twisted his arm so hard that it nearly broke and kicked him down onto the floor where he lay moaning and clutching his stomach. 

Wanda was on her feet in a second and lashing out with her magic that Bruce neatly side stepped, grabbed a mirror from the wall and raised it like a shield, the magic hit and bounced back at Wanda hitting her and sending her sprawling across the floor to land with a painful thump against the wall with her nose and ear bloody from burst blood vessels. Vision went over to her and put his arms protectively about her as her ever ready tears brimmed in her eyes.

“Anyone else?” Bruce asked setting down the mirror and running a hand through his hair 

Steve stepped forward, “Get, Out, Now!”

“Or what?” Bruce challenged, “You and your boyfriend will beat me half to death with your shield and leave me to die in Siberia?”, Steve’s cheeks coloured at that and Bucky protested

“I ain’t his damn boyfriend, he ain’t my type!”

“You need to back off,” Banner said holding up his hands in a gesture for peace

“Oh, you’re getting involved are you?” Bruce asked with mock wonder, “Well that’s a first, don’t you usually run for hills when things turn to shit? Tell me Banner, did your balls shrivel up and drop off with the radiation, or have you always been nothing but a fucking coward?” 

“That’s enough!” Natasha hissed stepping forward ready to fight as Banner’s face turned an interested shade of green 

“That’s right, go and hide behind the Hulk, let him do all the fighting for you,” Bruce sneered at Banner, “No wonder he’s so filled with rage, it must make him sick to have to share a body with the likes of you!” 

A curious thing happened then, the Hulk, on the verge of coming out appeared to paused and the green receded from Banner’s features, it was as if the Hulk had second thoughts on defending Banner.

“How dare you?” Sam snarled, “Waltzing in here as if you own the place…,”

“How dare I?” Bruce asked, “How fucking dare you!, how dare any of you act the way you are towards Tony, treating him as your personal bank account and whipping boy, live at his expense, on his generosity and continue to constantly ridicule, belittle, and torment him to the point that he was going to commit suicide!”.

 

This revelation resulted in a wave a shock running about the room and the Avengers, Rhodey was the first to respond to Bruce though looking terrified

“Is he alright, Jesus Christ, what happened?”

Bruce gave him a withering look that had the normally proud Colonel wilting, “I found him about to overdose on enough painkillers to kill himself three times over, thankfully I was able to stop him and take him to my home where he is now.”

“He should be in a hospital,” Scott spoke up for the first time, “He should be on the psych ward if he’s nuts enough to try and top himself,”

“And you should be a prison cell for the rest of your pathetic existence Lang!” Bruce roared silencing and cowering the younger man who quailed before him, “What are you? Nothing but a petty thief, a pest, a menace to society, a dead beat who’s actions make him unfit to be a Father, its no wonder your ex-wife wants you no where near her daughter, I wouldn’t trust you with a hamster, let alone a child, and I can say much the same for Barton considering the fact he ran out on three kids with nothing more than a phone call from Captain Dumbass!”

“Fuck you, Wayne!” Barton spat from the floor where he was still clutching his stomach, he would swear a couple of his ribs were broken they hurt so much.

“You are going to far now..,” Sam tried but had Bruce’s fury turned on him 

“You don’t get the right to speak, your head is so far up the Captain Shit-for-brains ass that anything you say is utterly worthless and completely biased, and you!?” Bruce turned to Natasha who was about to speak, “You have got to be one of the most depraved and twisted excused for a human being I have ever had the displeasure of meeting!” (And he had met Poison Ivy, The Joker, The Riddler, The Penguin, and other Supervillains beside, “You are a sadistic and manipulative sociopath” he snarled at Natasha, “You lied your way into Tony’s life when he was at his most vulnerable and dangerously ill, you clawed your way into him to find his weaknesses and have since exploited and manipulated him through them for years without a moments regret. But of course you don’t feel regret do you Natalia Romanova? To feel regret requires compassion something, like the Scarlet Bitch you are completely incapable of, like loyalty to anyone but yourself!”

“You stop, right now, you stop!” Steve shouted moving to place himself before the rest of the team, Wanda was still sobbing against Vision who was comforting her, Sam had gone to check Clint out, the rest were watching Bruce with shocked and bewildered expressions on their faces. 

“You stop,” Bruce spat at Steve, “Stop pretending the be anything but a self-absorbed, arrogant, delusional bully with a Hero complex. You disgust me Rogers, you act as if you are something special, as if you are the best thing to happen to mankind while you treat the opinions of those you claim to care about with utter contempt!”

Steve’s face turned crimson at Bruce’s words, if he thought that Bucky was going to defend him then he was sorely mistaken as Bucky was looking at the ground and appeared to avoiding gaining Bruce’s attentions, “I don’t..,” Steve began and Bruce rolled his eyes

“Really?, so the opinions of 114 countries matter to you then?” 

“Of course but..,”

“Why challenge the accords then, if their opinions matter to you?, oh, right I forgot, it was all to save your boyfriend, never mind that he had murdered the parents of your self-claimed best friend and you said nothing about it for over two years while living on his expense and allowing people under your command to bully and abuse him without a second thought!”

“I’m not that Punks boyfriend!” Bucky yelled getting a scowl, “But you’re right, the way these people treat Stark is appalling, I hardly know the man, but I know that he isn’t the man they constantly claim he is and deserves far better than he gets from everyone here, and yeah Punk that includes you!”, Steve stared at Bucky with wide shocked eyes looking like he’s just been slapped but Bucky’s not done, “I swear Punk, at times I hardly recognize you anymore, you’ve changed, not just gotten big but you’re not the man I knew, you’re not the boy I grew up with, Christ if your Momma saw the way you behave now she’d have knocked your head off your shoulders, and I tell you something Punk I’d have damn well helped her!”

“Buck..,” Steve trailed of looking like he’s just seen his entire world crash down before him

 

Taking a deep breath Bruce looked about the room, “I’d hope that you would all learn something from this but considering past behaviour I won’t hold my breath!” he walked smartly to the door to go and pack Tony’s clothes but was stopped by Rhodey, 

“I need to see him, I need to.., make things right.”

Bruce looked coldly at him, “You’ve got a hell of a lot to make up for, and you tell the same to Potts when you see her, remind her that she owes her hallowed position to Tony and has a damn lot to thank him for. As do you.”

Rhodey hung his head, “I know,” he whispered, “Just…, please tell him to call me, when he’s ready, and that I’m sorry.”

Bruce wanted to tell him to go to hell, he really did, Rhodes had hurt Tony so severely and deeply, but Tony loved Rhodey, he was the brother Tony had never had and Bruce couldn’t take that from him, and maybe Rhodes could redeem himself, he did seem genuinely contrite. 

“I’ll tell him,” he said reluctantly

“Thank you,” Rhodey said, “And tell him to take care,”

Bruce gave him the faintest trace of a smile, “Oh I’ll be making damn sure of that, I’ll be caring for him myself.”


	4. Chapter 4

Gotham City

 

“What did they say?” 

Bruce startled slightly and looked up from where he was running repairs on one of his grappling hooks that had gotten mangled in a fight. Tony was standing beside the work table, dressed in his pajamas with one of Bruce’s shirts on he looked small and fragile. He had caught up on his sleep at least, the shadows beneath his eyes were not quite so deep and he looked less pale and on the verge of collapse with exhaustion. 

“What did who say?” he asked in response to Tony’s question, turned in his chair and beckoning for Tony to come and sit on his lap. Tony hesitated for a second, then he went and sat down on Bruce’s knees and was pulled into an embrace, Bruce’s arms wrapping about his waist to hold him securely. 

“What did the team say when you went to the compound?” Tony asked laying his hands over Bruce’s, his fingers tapped a nervous beat on Bruce’s knuckles 

Bruce paused and thought carefully before he spoke. Tony was fragile right now, he was spun glass, the slightest pressure would cause him to shatter. He needed to be handled with care, but, lying to him, or even trying to conceal the truth would not help either, that had happened too much already, Tony needed to be given the truth or any chance of him trusting anyone or finding happiness again would be lost for good. 

“I did not give them much chance to speak I’m afraid,” Bruce said honestly, “I rather stole the floor and refused to relinquish it.”

Tony looked at Bruce in surprise at this, “I was motivated to speak my mind,” the other Billionaire said, “I had truths to impart upon the Avengers, and I did so, with more than a little vitriol.”

Tony bit his lip and looked worried, “They’ll be upset,”

“I should hope so,”

“NO, no you don’t understand!” Tony cried jumping off Bruce’s lap and began to pace running his hands through his hair, “They’ll kick me off the team, they won’t want me around anymore, well they don’t want me around anyway but they won’t want me around at all, they’ll hate me for this, they’ll blame me for everything..!”

“Tony stop!” Bruce had risen from his chair and he took Tony by the shoulders and held him still, “Calm down honey, slow your breathing,” shakily Tony did as instructed taking deep and steady breaths, “Its okay,” Bruce said reaching up to stroke Tony’s hair back from his face, “It doesn’t matter what any of them do or don’t do, you don’t need them, you deserve better than them, much better.”

“Better?” Tony asked shaking his head, “How can I have better than the Avengers?”

Bruce grinned, “Have you heard of the Justice League?” 

This gave Tony pause, he frowned at Bruce in confusion, “You mean you, Superman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, and The Flash?” 

“Also Green Lantin, Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Night Wing,” Bruce said, “We have been considering approaching Iron Man for some time now, offering him a position on the League, however it would come at a price.”

“What price?” Tony asked 

“That you leave the Avengers of course,” Bruce replied with a shrug, “We will expect you to be our team member, to be present for training, meetings, team building, and our…movie nights,” he looked pained as he said this, but then who could blame him when anything involving the ocean sent Arthur into a rant, anything involving tech had Flash and Cyborg bitching, Diana ripped apart anything historical, and Clark was insulted by anything that showed Aliens in a less than positive light! And Action films got them all up in arms at piss poor fight scenes and sloppy martial arts moves, to say Movie night led to things getting loud and messy was an understatement, Alfred was getting sick of cleaning up the popcorn that seemed to go everywhere, the glasses that got broken or the furniture that got damaged if a play fight started and they really needed to teach Arthur not to treat any scuffle as a full fight!

“You have movie nights?” Tony asked unable to hold back a laugh, as Bruce shot him a dark look he broke into a fit of giggles, “How adorably domestic! Do you wear the cowl and cape, do you hang upside down from your chandeliers to watch the TV?”

“Come to one and find out” Bruce said with a sigh, it wasn’t like he had much dignity left to lose when it came to Tony anyway!

Tony calmed his laughter and gave Bruce an uncertain look, “They really want me? As in me, not just Iron Man?”

“Tony Stark and Iron Man. Tony Stark for the company, Iron Man for the team,” Bruce confirmed and it made his heart ache that Tony seemed so shocked by this. Damn the Avengers and the damage they had done to him, damage that would take years to heal, but he would make sure that it did heal, he and the Justice League would see to it together. 

 

*****

 

Avengers Compound

 

The team had scattered through out the compound following Bruce Wayne’s visit. Steve went to the gym to beat his temper out on punch bags, Natasha retreated into her stoic solitude, Clint took a six pack of beers and when to the archery range to shoot. Sam took himself to his room to listen to music and try to clear his mind. Scott settled himself in front of the TV flipping channels and trying to do anything that would keep his mind from what Bruce had said to him. Banner retreated to his lab, guiltily looking towards Tony’s blacked out workshop. Wanda threw a temper tantrum of how unfair it was that she was always blamed and how Tony always had to make everything about himself and then stormed to her bedroom in temper. Bucky took himself out into the grounds for a run determined to avoid everyone. 

This left Vision alone as Rhodey headed to Stark Tower to speak to Pepper. 

“Friday?” Vision called out thoughtfully

“Yes Vision?” the AI dutifully replied 

“The treatment of Stark by the team, is it truly wrong by the standards of other people?” Vision asked, he truly did not know this, he was still learning so much about human interaction and about human emotions that he could not be certain of the right and wrong unless it was in the extreme such as murder or rape, clearly those were crimes and were wrong, but less severe acts of cruelty he was still trying to comprehend and things about positive and healthy social interaction and relationships. 

“The teams interaction with Boss Man is not friendly, nor is it healthy,” Friday replied, “The Boss has several emotional and Mental health difficulties that the team exacerbate to their own ends. Miss Maximoff is frequently violent towards him with her powers, Captain America has betrayed and lied to Boss, beaten him half to death and left him wounded and stranded in a freezing wasteland. Clint Barton has been verbally abusive towards Boss since he met him, Sam Wilson has shown nothing by animosity towards him, Dr Banner has abandoned Boss, abused his friendship and turned even fallen asleep when Boss was trying to open up to him as a friend. Colonel Rhodes has refused to defend Boss on several occasions and even physically assaulted him. Natasha Romanoff has lied to Boss, physically and mentally assaulted him on multiple occasions, Scott Lang has treated him with derision and unjust disdain, and Thor has treated Boss with contempt and physically assaulted him.”

Friday did not sugar coat anything, with Vision she didn’t need to, she told it how it was without pulling punches. 

“How would you describe my own interaction with Stark?” Vision asked feeling something he wasn’t sure he could explain. There was a weight in his stomach, an almost painful feeling, rather like he had felt after Rhodes had been paralysed. 

“I would describe your relationship with Boss as very cold and emotionless. You have been dismissive of Boss and have made to attempt to form any kind of relationship with him despite carrying the memories of Jarvis,”

Jarvis, Tony’s first and most beloved AI. Vision did not think much about him, did not look into his memory banks very often as they seemed so conflicting to what the Avengers described when they spoke of Tony. He had figured those files had been corrupted during his creation but perhaps not? 

“If I may?” Friday offered, “Your relationship with Miss Maximoff is not what I would consider healthy either, she has been violent towards you, emotionally manipulative and obstructive in your own emotional development,”

Vision frowned, “I am not sure I understand.”

“Perhaps you should look up relationships, healthy interactions and unhealthy and abusive relationships,” Friday suggested, “I think you will find it very enlightening.”

“Very well,” Vision said, “Please display the information for me at a computer terminal,” Friday complied and Vision sat down and began to read and incredible speed his expression going from confused, to hurt, to guilty, and resigned as he devoured the information. 

Friday was right, Wanda was not giving him a loving relationship, she was manipulating him and abusing him, emotionally if not physically and it had been physical violence once already, who was to say it would not be again? He also understood what Friday had said about the teams treatment of Stark, how cruel and malicious they had been to him, and perhaps unintentionally he had himself been cruel. 

Sighing he chose for the first time in a long time to look into the memory files of Jarvis and this time not let the team colour his views. 

 

*****

 

Bucky wasn’t sure what he was going to do. He didn’t want to be in the compound anymore, he didn’t want to be around Steve, he certainly didn’t want to be around the rest of the Avengers, but he didn’t have anywhere else to go. 

He could call T’Challa and he knew he’d be welcomed back in Wakanda, but that wasn’t home, America was home and he missed New York. Perhaps he could find himself a job, get an apartment? 

The problem was he wasn’t sure what type of work he could get, he had no education, no skills, and he was still adjusting to modern society, he wasn’t sure how he would cope in the world outside of the compound. Maybe he could talk to the Colonel about it? Perhaps Rhodes could help him find work? Bucky didn’t like being a burden but he liked the thought of being here even less, so he was determined to do something about this no matter what. 

 

*****

 

Stark Tower

 

“We fucked up Pepper, we fucked right up and I don’t know how we can ever fix this!” 

Pepper regarded Rhodey as he sat across the desk from her, slumped in his seat looking tired, miserable and wracked with self loathing. 

“Bruce was right about all of it,” he said shaking his head, “How they’ve treated him, how I’ve treated him, hell how you’ve treated him!”

“Excuse me but I have..,”

“Not been there for him!” Rhodey said cutting Pepper off, “You knew who he was, what he was like when you got into a relationship with him, you promised to be there and when he really needed you to be you turned your back and so did I!” Rhodey rose up and let out a disgusted noise, “We have both benefited from being his friends, my career was made infinitely easier through him, I’d never have had it so easy to move up the ranks if it weren’t for my friendship with Tony, and you would never have been given the role of CEO without Tony gifting it to you!”

Pepper wanted to argue that, she really did, she was good at her job, very good at it, but she had learned on the job, she had not been qualified, no one would have given her the position but Tony and she had not shown him the gratitude that she probably should, she’d practically taken Happy from him, treated him with disgust while he was dying, had not been understanding or patient with his PTSD, had as Rhodey said, turned her back when he’d needed her the most. 

“What do we do?” she asked resting her forearms on the table before her

“I don’t know,” Rhodey said shaking his head, “I really don’t know Pep, but we have to do something, we at least owe Tony that much.”


	5. Chapter 5

Avengers Compound

 

“So let me get this straight,” Rhodey said to Bucky. They were sat in Rhodey’s office the desk between them scattered with paper work and coffee cups, the window behind Rhodey was open letting in the warm summer air and the sound of birds chirping in the trees about the compound. 

Bucky had come to Rhodey the moment he’d stepped into the compound, asking for a private conversation, Rhodey wasn’t sure what he was expecting Bucky to say, but what the former Winter Soldiers actually said to him floored him completely. 

“You want to leave the compound and break contact with Steve Rogers?”

“Yes,” Bucky said with finality, “I can’t stay here anymore, I can’t be around Stevie, he’s not the Stevie I knew, he’s…, I don’t know the man he’s become, this man who cares for no one but the chosen few he deems worthy, a man who cares for no opinion but his own, this isn’t the Steve Roger’s I grew up with, this isn’t the man who was chosen for the super soldier serum, I don’t know who this man is and I don’t want to know.”

Rhodey sighed and ran a hand over his head swearing his hair felt thinner than ever! “Have you given any thought as to where you will go, or how you’ll support yourself?” 

Bucky shrugged, “I’ll find a room, I’ll get a job labouring or something,”

Rhodey winced easily able to imagine the kind of room Bucky would end up with on the sort of pay that kind of work would provide. “I appreciate your tenacity and your willingness to support yourself, but if you would allow me to, I would like to help you find something better than that,” 

Bucky sat back in his chair and looked at Rhodey in surprise, “Not that I don’t appreciate the offer, but why would you do that for me?” 

Rhodey shrugged, “You’re a man who has literally gone to hell and come back, you have fought for this country and paid a high price for it, you’ve been taken apart and put back together and somehow found yourself again. I think the least that anyone can do for you is to give you a chance of building yourself a life of your own,”

It wasn’t a offer of charity, that Bucky would have rejected instantly as he had too much pride to accept that. This was an offer to help him help himself, that he would accept. 

“You don’t have any qualifications do you?” Rhodey asked, “Or current academic certificates?” 

“No,” Bucky had done his exams at school but that was seventy years out of date, and he hadn’t been able to afford college or anything like that, besides which he had gone to war and that had been that in the end so he hadn’t been able to take an apprenticeship to pick up skills at all. 

“I always hoped to go into cars,” he offered to the Colonel, “You know, fixing ‘em and fine tuning ‘em. I got a Saturday job when I was lad helpin’ out at a garage, jus’ helpin’ change tires and such but I was able to watch while the mechanics worked and I hoped to go into that sort of work.”

Rhodey grinned thinking of Tony and his love of mechanics, while he might be a computer genius, an inventor beyond the wildest dreams of others, at his heart he was a mechanic first and foremost. 

“Would you consider doing a degree in mechanics?” he asked Bucky, 

“Sure, but doesn’t that cost like a lot of money?” 

Rhodey made a non-comital noise in his throat, “I might be able to pull a few strings, as I said just leave it with me and I’ll see what I can work out for you,” 

Bucky nodded his head, “Okay, thank you,” as he rose up he held out his hand to Rhodey which the Colonel took and shook. 

As Bucky left the office Rhodey picked up his phone and called Pepper who answered on the send ring, “Hey Pepper I’ve got a proposition for you…,”

 

Bucky headed to the kitchen after his talk with Rhodey going in search of food and coffee. Like Steve his metabolism was off the charts and he had to eat upwards of five thousand calories a day to maintain his body weight. Sam, Clint, and Scott were seething with jealousy over this and Natasha had muttered something in Russian along those lines too since they could eat anything and everything in huge amounts and not gain a pound. 

Vision was in the kitchen creating something that looked like cake, mocha and chocolate cake if Bucky wasn’t mistaken. 

“Is it someone’s birthday?” he asked dipping the tip of his little finger in the bowl to get some of the mix and licked it clean, “Tastes good,” he praised as he went to the coffee pot and poured a cup then began to rummage through the cupboards for snacks, he settled on a family sized bag of crisps and jumped up onto the counter to watch Vision pour the batter into a cake tin and put it into the oven, 

“Friday set the timer please,” 

“Timer set.”

“So who’s the cake for?” Bucky asked stuffing crisps into his mouth 

“Mr Stark,” Vision replied, “Mocha chocolate cake is his favourite,” Bucky rose his eyebrows in surprise at this and Vision went on, “I have been accessing my memory files of Jarvis, recalling memories of Mr Stark, his life before the Avengers, his creation of his suits, his incredible intelligence, desire to do good in the world, and his vulnerability that can be so easily manipulated with his inherent self-hatred,” Vision sighed and looked down to the floor as if ashamed, “I have ignored this for too long, ignored this part of myself that Mr Stark created, I have let myself be guided by the Avengers, by Wanda and did not form my own opinion or relationship with Mr Stark, something I regret very much and wish to make amends for.”

 

For several minutes there was nothing but the sound of crisps being crunched until Bucky spoke again, “So the cake is an apology?” 

“Yes,” Vision replied, “An attempt at making.., I believe it is called an olive branch,” the Android gathered up the mixing bowl and spoon and went to the sink to start washing up, “I am also thinking of leaving the compound though I am unsure of where I will go,” 

“Huh, I was thinking the same thing,” Bucky said, “I’m looking to get my own place away from here, Rhodes is gonna give me a hand sorting myself out.”

“That’s excellent,” Vision said with a smile “I wish you luck,”

“You could come with me,” Bucky offered, “The two of us could get a place and split the rent,”

Vision looked at Bucky in surprise, “That is a most generous offer,” 

“Something you’re up for?”

Vision tipped his head to the side considering Bucky’s offer, “Yes, I believe I will,”

“Sweet!” Bucky declared, “Between the two of us we can get somewhere half decent I’m sure,” 

“That will be most amenable,” Vision stated, “Perhaps we should start looking for somewhere?”

Bucky nodded and Vision looked up to the ceiling, “Friday will you please bring up properties to rent for us to look through?” 

“Certainly Vision they will be available at the nearest terminal,”

Bucky hopped off the counter and went with Vision to look at the apartments on the computer screen. 

 

*****

 

Gotham City

 

Tony was beating a punch bag that Bruce was holding when Alfred came down to the training room to tell them that Pepper and Rhodey had come calling, with cake!

“Cake?” Tony asked panting a little as he took off his boxing gloves

“Yes, Mocha chocolate, apparently made by The Vision!” Alfred replied, “He baked it for you as an apology for how he has treated you in the past,”

Tony gaped at Alfred, “Vision wants to apologise to me? What for? He’s never done anything wrong!”

Alfred shrugged helplessly and looked to Bruce who sighed heavily, Tony had been doing better since he’s spoken of the Justice League’s offer but he still had a long way to go in learning that not everything was his fault and that he was deserving of kindness and apologies when someone did something wrong. 

“Do you want to see them alone?” Bruce asked quietly so as not to spook Tony. The smaller Billionaire looked at him with an uncertain expression, Bruce didn’t need to hear him say the words, he lay his hand on Tony’s shoulder and gave him a supportive smile silently promising to stand with him as he spoke to Pepper and Rhodey. 

 

Alfred had shown Pepper and Rhodey into the living room where Tony and Bruce now went. The cake was set on the coffee table, a little lobsided and the icing was probably two inches thick and guaranteed to give Tony type two diabetes in a single mouthful but it brought a smile to his face anyway. 

“Hi Tony,” Rhodey said quietly, “How are you?” 

“Okay,” Tony said cautiously, his body was tense as a bow string and he couldn’t meet Rhodey’s eyes, or Pepper’s 

“Oh Tony!” Pepper whimpered breaking into tears, “I’m so sorry,” she covered her mouth with her hand, “I’m sorry,” 

Tony’s head shot up and his eyes widened in shock, “Pep no! don’t cry, please Pep, you’ve not done anything wrong!”, the words brought more tears from Pepper, she turned away and sobbed harshly, beside her Rhodey choked down the urge to cry himself looking vaguely sick, 

“God Tony I’m so sorry,” he said, “I’ve been such a shit to you, I don’t deserve you or your friendship or any of things you’ve done for me,”

“Rhodey!” Tony cried his voice breaking, tears sprang to his eyes 

“Its true Tony, I’ve not been a friend to you for so many years, I got caught up in my job, in politics, in being War Machine and all the shit Rogers brought and I.., Christ Tony I don’t even know where to start, and all I can say is I’m sorry and I know that’s not even close to enough but…,” Tony surged forward and wrapped his arms about Rhodey hugging him tight

“Its okay, its okay Platipus, we’re okay, you’re my Rhodeybear and I love you!”

Rhodey let out a sound that was somewhere between a snort and a sob, he wrapped his arms about Tony and hugged him back while meeting Bruce’s eyes above Tony’s head they both knew this wasn’t enough but to Tony it was and he didn’t want more apologies he just wanted his friends back. The best thing he and Pepper could do to make things up to him was to be the friends he deserved. 

“Coffee?” Alfred inquired from the doorway carrying a pot and several cups along with a sugar pot and a jug of cream

“Thank you Alfred,” Bruce said as the man placed the tray on the table, he had also brought plates, dessert forks and a cake knife

“I’ll be Mother,” Pepper offered wiping her cheeks shakily and took up the coffee pot filling the cups and letting the others add their own cream and sugar to taste, 

Released from Rhodey’s arms Tony cut the cake serving each of them a sizable piece that had Pepper sighing over her diet but digging in anyway, 

“My God!” Rhodey exclaimed, “How much chocolate did he use?” 

“I don’t know but I think my teeth are rotting already!” Bruce chuckled 

“That’s why God invented dentistry,” Tony replied nonchalantly, “Remind me to hire Vision as a cook!”

“No Tony, if you do that I’ll end up weighing 300 lbs!” Pepper protested 

“God invented Liposuction too!” Tony sing-songed licking his chocolate coated lips 

“Speaking of jobs, Vision is looking for work,” Rhodey said and that got Tony’s attention and he frowned at Rhodey, “Vision and Bucky want to leave the compound and break off all contact with the team. They’re done with them, they’re looking to get their own place and find work of their own,” 

“Whoa, Barnes wants to leave Steve?” Tony exclaimed setting down his cake, “That’s…I didn’t see that coming,”

Bruce snorted softly, “He gave Rogers a hell of a mouthful the day I went to see them,” 

“I’m looking into helping him get a mechanics degree” Rhodey said, “Pepper’s been looking into colleges and apprentice opportunities but his age is against him, they’re more interested in teens fresh from school not guys in their thirties who are from the nineteen twenties!”

“Why don’t we give him an internship!” Tony suggested and Pepper choked on her cake, “We can put him through college and in return he can work for us for a few years, we’ve done it with others, and him and Vision can have a floor at the tower to live in!”

Bruce looked at Tony in astonishment, though why he was astonished he wasn’t sure, Tony always had to do things in the extreme, especially when it came to doing things for others, that he’d help Vision and Bucky like this was just classic of his personality, 

“If that’s what you want?” Pepper said slowly, Bucky wouldn’t be her first choice for an internship but she owed Tony and if he wanted to give Bucky a chance then she was willing to consider it, 

“Yes, and Vision as our cook!”

“No Tony!”

 

******

 

Avengers Compound

 

It took Tony another ten days before he went to the compound to pack up for good and give his official resignation to Rogers. 

“You’re resigning from the team?” Steve asked in astonishment as he read the official letter of resignation that Pepper had typed up for him 

“I am, and I’ll be removing my lab and personal equipment from the premises,” Tony said, “As you can see the Compound and the jet are yours, however you’ll no longer be recipients of SI or my personal funding so I you’ll have to see to the up keep and cost of everything yourselves,”

“Fucking what?” Clint exploded, at that moment there was a sonic boom and Superman landed outside the compound and walked in flanked by Aquaman, they were joined moments later by Cyborg, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Flash who appeared like his name sake,

“Running slow today!?” Superman teased

“Ha, in your dreams!” Flash shot back 

“What are you guys doing here?” Tony asked sighing in exasperation, “I said I could handle this!”

Batman shrugged, “We’re just visiting!”

“Yeah, we even brought food!” Flash said producing an ever present bag of snacks and offering the bag to Tony who took out a chocolate covered peanut 

“What is this?” Natasha demanded 

“Friends helping a team mate and friend move his possessions,” Superman replied, “Anything heavy I’ve got it,”

“Might as well but those muscles to use,” Aquaman said 

“What’ll you move, a fish tank!?” Cyborg teased 

“Children, behave!” Wonder Woman sighed rolling her eyes

The Avengers watched this exchange in disbelief, “Team mate?” Steve asked 

“Yeah,” Tony said brightly, “The Justice League asked me to join and I accepted, hence my resignation,”

“Just like that?” Sam asked shaking his head in disgust, “Never took you for a quitter Stark,”

“Never took you for having enough of a brain to think anything Wilson!” Tony shot back and didn’t so much as blink as Clint took a menacing step forward, possibly because he had the Justice League flanking him and ready to rip the Avengers apart with the slightest provocation 

“Now, lets get moving,” Tony said clapping his hands, with some good natured grumbling the league split up to go and get Tony’s possessions while Tony called out to the two silent Avengers, “Vision, Sergeant?” he called out bringing Vision and Bucky out of their respective corners, he tossed a key to Bucky, “For your new apartment in the Tower,” he said, “If you accept it you have been granted an internship with SI, we’ll pay for your mechanics degree, you’ll get full room and board in the tower and a company car for your use,”

Bucky’s mouth dropped open in shock, but Tony wasn’t done, “Vision, if you’d like it I would like to offer you the position as my PA, I wanted to hire you as a cook but Pepper won’t let me, something about cholesterol and diabetes and other boring stuff, but you also get full room and board and when you get your licence a company car,”

“That is very generous Mr Stark,” Vision said

“Tony, please, and that goes for you too Snowflake!”

Bucky rose eye brow, “Snowflake?”

“Tony’s got a thing for nicknames,” Batman sighed coming through carrying a box filled with God knows what from the lab, “You should be grateful yours is only Snowflake,”

“Aww you love me really Batsy!”  
Batman made a grunting noise and rolled his eyes then stiffened as Rogers stepped forward making to crowd Tony who lifted his chin refusing to be cowed

“You are not doing this, you are not taking Bucky from me!” he reached out and took hold of Tony’s upper arms making to lift him bodily and shove him back into the wall, but in a second Batman’s arm was about his throat cutting off his air supply, a kick across the stomach that packed a hell of a blow knocked the air out of him and threw him to the ground where a boot was at his throat in a second 

“Don’t try that again!” Batman growled 

“Get the hell off me!” Steve snarled shoving Batman off him, he leaped up ready to fight but a blow of a metal fist hit his face and sent back down onto the ground, 

“Bucky?” he gasped in shock 

“Stay down punk or you’ll get a damn sight worse,” Bucky growled at him, he looked to Tony who was rubbing his upper arms that were no doubt bruised, “I’ll take that position, thank you very much, and if I can impose I’ll ask for a ride to New York right now before I rip Rogers apart!”

“Bucky you don’t know what you’re doing!” Steve pleaded 

“Oh I know exactly what I’m doing,” Bucky spat, “You make me sick Rogers, the lot of you do,” he looked at the Avengers with utter repulsion on his face, “Dear God, I spent the better part of seventy years in the hands of Nazis and even they didn’t make me as sick to my stomach as you lot do!”

“Bucky!” Steve moaned 

“Its Stark!” Wanda snarled with red light flashing in his eyes “He’s doing this,!” but before she could lash out a golden lasso wrapped about her and prevented her from using her powers, 

“I would advise you to stay still unless you wish to suffer,” Wonder Woman stated 

The rest of the Avengers made moves to strike but in the blink of an eye Flash and Superman had all of them knocked on their backsides 

“Are we done here?” Flash asked 

“I believe so,” Tony said, “If you two would like to get your things we’ll get going for New York,” he said to Bucky and Vision 

“Give me a moment,” Vision said 

“I’ve already packed,” Bucky said with a shrug, “I just need to grab my bags,”

“Vision!” Wanda wailed her eyes filling with tears 

“I do not wish for us to have any further contact Miss Maximoff,” Vision said coldly, “I do not believe out relationship is healthy and I do not wish to continue it, nor do I wish for contact with any of you again,” 

“That makes two of us,” Bucky said to the floored team, “Especially you Punk!” he said to Steve, “I never want to see you again, ever!”

Steves blue eyes widened and the colour drained from his face, he watched as Bucky walked away without a backwards glance, then he glared at Tony, “You won’t get away with this!” he snarled 

“Oh make a move please!” Aquaman said as he brought out more of Tony’s stuff, “I could use a work out and kicking your ass will be a delight!”

“I’ll certainly enjoy it!” Batman stated smiled and looking truly terrifying! 

For once Steve seemed to realize that he wasn’t going to win if a fight broke out and backed down while glaring at Tony, 

“This isn’t the end of this” He spat at him, Tony rolled his eyes

“Get over yourself Rogers, its long over, accept it and move on!”

 

With Bucky and Vision in tow, Tony and the Justice League carried Tony’s possessions from the compound that fell silent as Friday extracted herself from the systems and the power was shut down until the Avengers could set up their own power deal, 

“What do we do?” Clint demanded 

“We’ll be fine,” Steve said with confidence, “We’ll get funding elsewhere, Tony’s just made the biggest mistake of his life and he’ll regret it, like he does all his decisions.”

 

***** 

 

Epilogue

 

One year later

Steve sat in an empty compound in complete darkness. 

Everything had gone from bad to worse since the day Tony left. Without his funding, his equipment the team weren’t able to use the Quinjet as they couldn’t afford to fuel it, they also couldn’t afford the repairs on their equipment. Scott tried but he was no Tony and didn’t have the skill, and since he had child support to pay if he wanted to see his daughter he had to go and find work which took him away from the team more and more until one day he just stopped coming in. 

Sam had his military pension which he was generous with, but when his wings were damaged beyond his ability to repair his ability to be of use to the team lessened greatly and he began questioning Steve more and more creating a rift between them until one day they came to blows and Steve accidently broke Sam’s arm in three places, so bad he needed surgery and lost the use of three fingers. Steve apologised by Sam wanted nothing more to do with him or the team and left as soon as he was out of the hospital, even filing an assault charge on Steve who had to appear in court, was ordered to pay all of Sam’s hospital bills and compensation, and was given a two years suspended sentence!

Clint became even more volatile after that, his behaviour even more erratic and violent, resulting in a bar fight one night in which he killed a man and got a shard of glass through his right eye. 

Half blinded and sent to prison he was finished and knew it, putting a noose about his throat with his bed sheet the day after he was sentenced. 

Natasha disappeared the day after that and Steve didn’t hear from her again until a body was found in an alley, she’d been brutally beaten to death and the word Traitor had been carved into her chest. Her past had come back to haunt her, likely former Shield agents caught up in the fallout of the data dump had exacted their revenge. 

The final Avenger to leave Steve was Wanda. Her powers became more and more uncontrollable after Vision left, with their team gone and their money dwindled to nothing with no hope of getting funding from anywhere Wanda had attempted to get them the funds they needed, and take some revenge at the same time. 

She tried to attack Tony, to force him to give her and Steve his money but the Justice League had a large amount of allies, one of them being Dr Strange who prevented the attack and stripped Wanda of her powers. The stripping of them drove Wanda completely insane, she was committed to an institution not longer able to care for herself or able to do anything but scream at invisible monsters and drool in the corner when drugged up to keep her from lashing out in violence.

This had left Steve completely alone. He’d tried calling Bucky but Bucky had put the phone down on him in a moment, he didn’t know how to call Scott and Sam wanted nothing to do with him. Never before in his life had Steve felt so low or alone. Even Banner, who had been absent the day Tony had left, had gone to make amends with the genius and lived in the Tower with Bucky and Vision. 

Steve wondered if this was how Tony had felt the night he’d been going to kill himself, when Bruce Wayne had found and saved him. If Steve were to do the same no one would save him, but he wouldn’t give up so easily, he wasn’t a coward and somehow he’d find a way to survive and show the world just what a hero he was once more. 

 

Picking up the newspaper at his side he looked once again at the headlines, Tony and Bruce’s marriage with a wedding photo of the two of them surrounded JL members, and friends standing before the court house that was decorated in Red and Gold banners. 

Tony was beaming, turned towards Bruce who’s expression was adoring as they were captured in the second before a kiss. 

What really shoves the knife through Steve’s heart is the sight of Bucky standing to the left in full Military uniform beside a beaming Rhodey who’s also in full air force uniform, Bucky has his arm around Rhodey as if they are old friends when his oldest friend is someone he’s rejected and left alone. 

Steve crumpled the newspaper in his fist and tossed it at the wall where hundreds of other papers about Tony were littered, he’d find a way to make Tony pay, he’d get back on top, all he needed was a bit of cash and food he didn’t have take from the back of restaurants that they were throwing out and he’d be fit to take him down. 

***** 

 

Across the City Tony grinned as Bruce wrapped arms about his waist as they stood in the nursery they had set up. 

Their baby was due to be born in just three weeks, a boy they were going to call Alfie Damian. 

Pepper was surrogating for them, and she would be Mother to their Son, who would have two Dad’s a Mum, a lots of Uncles and Aunts, with Vision, Rhodey, Bucky, Diana, and Alfred as God parents.

“Did you ever think we’d be here?” Tony asked, “Married, with a baby on the way?” 

“I always hoped for it,” Bruce said, “But I could never imagine it really happening,” he turned Tony in his arms, “But I’ve never been happier that we are,”

“Me neither,” Tony purred leaning up to kiss Bruce’s throat, “I think we should make the most of the free time we have, soon we’ll be enslaved to little Addie and won’t even remember what Sex is!”

Bruce snorted with laughter but swept Tony up off his feet and carried him to bed also keen to enjoy some adult time before their Son came to take over their lives.


End file.
